Middle East
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The universal language of musicMusic dossier: Tuning in to the unfamiliar
An independent, modern music scene has long since developed in the Islamic world and Europe. Breaking with convention, it is a far cry from belly dance and folklore cliches. In this dossier, we present some of its leading protagonists, genres and events
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Israel after the Hamas attacks of 7 OctoberThe echo of the Holocaust
Many Israelis feel reminded of the Holocaust by the events of 7 October 2023. Others reject such comparisons. The government's stance is ambivalent. A report from Tel Aviv
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Book review: Joseph Croitoru on HamasThe dark power of the "liberators"
How did Hamas come to rule over the Gaza Strip? And what developments led to 7 October? Historian Joseph Croitoru has the answers. His level-headed assessment of the facts lends this book a particular importance.
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Palestinians in GermanyEnd of the Berlin Spring
The German capital has attracted many Palestinian artists and intellectuals in recent years. Yet since the war in Gaza began, a sense of disillusionment has set in within the community
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The quagmire of historical responsibilityGermany's misguided fight against anti-Semitism
Assessing Israel more critically than other nations is considered anti-Semitic. Yet treating Israel more favourably is problematic too. Philo-Semitism – the unquestioning endorsement of anything Jewish – does not help in the fight against anti-Semitic prejudice
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War in the Middle EastWomen for peace
Israeli and Palestinian women have joined forces and are calling for a negotiated solution to the Middle East conflict. They say it is the only alternative to the murderous war
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The Middle East's cosmopolitan traditionBack to a Levantine future?
As regional and global problems rise, the once mixed cities of the Eastern Mediterranean may offer ideas for how we can escape our distress
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Children in GazaSchool just a distant memory
Children in the Gaza Strip have not been to school since the start of the war. Israel is systematically destroying the Palestinian education system, UN representatives warn
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Reform IslamTranscending the secular-sacred divide
Sherman Jackson's "The Islamic Secular" makes a compelling case for an alternative understanding of 'secular', which is neither outside religion nor a rival to it
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Najat Abed Alsamad's "Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst"Searching for life
Najat Abed Alsamad's award-winning novel, "La Ma'a Yarwiha", has been published in German translation as "Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst" (No water quenches her thirst). In it, she tells the story of a young Druze woman who roundly rejects the traditional rules imposed on her by her parents and relatives and begins a long fight for her freedom
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Islamists in IdlibSyrian protesters rise up against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
Opponents of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad seeking refuge in Idlib are now protesting against local Islamist hardliners Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The group is accused of becoming increasingly dictatorial
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International Criminal CourtWhat would an arrest warrant mean for Israeli PM Netanyahu?
The International Criminal Court could issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with his defence minister and three Hamas leaders. If it does, what are the potential consequences?